On February 13, 2019, Diana Threadgill was indicted in U.S. District Court, Memphis, Tennessee, for mail fraud related to a multi-year grant fraud scheme. Threadgill is the former Executive Director of the Mississippi River Corridor Tennessee (MRCT), a non-profit organization based in Memphis, Tennessee, that has received millions in grant funding from FHWA, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), State agencies, and private foundations.

The indictment alleges that Threadgill fraudulently overbilled the Government by submitting reimbursement requests for expenses that MRCT had already requested or received reimbursement for. It is further alleged that Threadgill provided fraudulent checks to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, seeking and receiving reimbursements by representing that the checks had been cashed by vendors even though the checks had never been sent to vendors. Additionally, Threadgill allegedly requested and received funding from TVA in the name of MRCT, knowing the MRCT’s Board of Directors had voted to dissolve the organization. The total alleged loss of Federal funds was $174,921.84.

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with TVA-OIG and the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.

Note: Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.